


picture perfect

by merrymegtargaryen



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 14:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12434409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merrymegtargaryen/pseuds/merrymegtargaryen
Summary: Fic based on the picture of Joe Dempsie at his niece's christening. Need I say more?





	picture perfect

When Mya had told him that she and Myranda were adopting, Gendry had been happy for them--his sister was a great woman, and she and her wife would make great moms. When he actually met and held his new niece, he fell in love. She was adorable, and Gendry couldn’t wait to take her out for ice cream and trips to the zoo. When Mya mentioned that she wanted to have a party to celebrate their adopted daughter, Gendry volunteered to handle it. He’d been excited to be part of his niece’s life.

He just hadn’t realized what a headache it would be. No one was willing to host it because they lacked the space and resources, so Gendry tried calling hotels and restaurants in the area. 

“I’m sorry,” Gendry said on the phone with one. “It’s  _ three hundred dollars _ to rent a banquet hall,  _ not including _ food?”

“Well,” the woman on the phone said in a crispy tone, “You could always try Motel 6.”

After making several other calls, Gendry was beginning to consider it. He’d known he’d have to shell out money, but he didn’t want to go in  _ debt _ . 

“You could try that pub where Hot Pie and Lommy had their wedding reception,” Arya suggested. “It was nice, and it was pretty cheap too.”

“We can’t have a party for a baby at a pub,” Gendry huffed. 

But when every other place was either booked or overpriced, Gendry knew that he would have to go with the pub. They cut him a blessedly cheap rate and booked him in. Gendry was so relieved that he instantly called up Mya to share the good news.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Did you say you booked  _ a pub _ ?”

Gendry cleared his throat. “Yes.”

“Gendry.”

“Everywhere else was booked or way too expensive,” he said defensively. “And it’s not like a hole in the wall--Lommy and Hot Pie had their wedding reception here.”

“Isn’t Lommy the one who picked his nose so much they called him Lommy Greenhands?”

“That was almost twenty years ago!”

Mya sighed. “I don’t know, Gendry…”

“It’ll be great,” he promised eagerly. “I’ll make sure of it.”

And he did--he made a facebook event with all the details, wheedled Hot Pie into baking some cupcakes, and pulled out his nicest suit for the occasion. On the Sunday of the party, he and Arya dressed up, got in the car, and drove to the pub. The sun was shining and the weather was perfect. Gendry was pleased with the way the day was turning out.

...until the car pulled up and he saw a fleet of motorcycles and people wearing fur, horned hats, and fake axes. 

“What the hell?” Arya asked with a bemused expression.

“I dunno.” Gendry got out of the car and headed inside the pub. The girl behind the counter gave him a vaguely bored look. “Hi,” he said, feeling very out of place in his suit as the--bikers? Vikings? Biker-Vikings? Bikings?--swarmed and laughed around him. “I’m Gendry Waters--I’ve booked the pub for the party?”

“The Viking party?” the girl asked dully.

Gendry frowned. “No, the Royce-Stone party.”

“Hang on.” She ambled to the door behind the counter; several minutes later, she returned. “Uh, it looks like you got double-booked with these guys.”

“ _ What _ ?”

“Yeah, Wyl booked you guys for the same time,” she said, sounding entirely unaffected. “Sorry,” she added, not sounding very sorry at all.

“Well, what are we supposed to do?” Gendry asked with no small degree of frustration. The others would be here soon. 

“I don’t know,” she said unhelpfully. 

Arya put a hand on Gendry’s arm. “I’ve got this.” She turned to the Vikings. “OI! Who organized this party?”

“Shagga did,” said a Viking maiden who was wearing a leather halter top. She pointed to Ken, who looked as if Viking biker was not a costume, but a lifestyle. 

“Hi, Shagga,” Arya said with a bright smile. “It looks like the pub double-booked us--my boyfriend’s sister and her wife just adopted a baby, you see, and the whole family’s coming to celebrate. They weren’t, uh, expecting a Viking biker party. Is there some sort of arrangement we can work out?” 

Arya had been angling for a “you don’t bother us, we don’t bother you” sort of agreement, but that was not what Shagga thought. 

“Yes!” he boomed. “We will have one big party!”

Arya’s smile became fixed. “Oh...one... _ big _ party?”

“Yes! We will share the pub and make the baby laugh!” Shagga proclaimed.

“Great,” Gendry said faintly. “Just...great.”

When the guests arrived, it was to find the paper decorations Gendry had bought being strung up by biker Vikings. 

“What’s going on?” Myranda asked as she and Mya walked up, carrying Jonna.

“It’s your party!” Gendry said, pasting a smile on his face. 

“Why are there Vikings?” Mya demanded. 

“It’s...the theme,” Gendry invented. 

“The  _ theme _ ?” Mya thundered. “The  _ theme _ is welcoming our child into the family.”

“Yeah, but,” Gendry said lamely, “you didn’t like it being at a pub, so I wanted to, you know...give it a little pizzazz.” 

“You didn’t have to give it pizzazz!” Mya exclaimed. “We just wanted a party! A simple, no-nonsense party to celebrate the new member of our family! We don’t need Vikings!”

“I know it’s unconventional--”

“Gendry!”

Shagga chose that moment to appear. “This is the baby!” he boomed. 

“Who are you?” Myra wanted to know.

“I am Shagga, son of Dolf!” he declared. “And I am here to celebrate this baby!” 

Mya was furious, but she hid it when the other guests arrived.

“Why are there Vikings?” Rickon asked.

“It’s the theme,” Mya said with a stony smile. 

“A baby party needs a theme?” Catelyn asked, perplexed.

“As a matter of fact,” Mya said, her smile tightening, “It was all Gendry’s idea.”

To everyone’s surprise and relief, however, the “theme” was a huge hit. The Vikings had everything from facepaint to a real-live blacksmith who talked about his weapons and was even kind enough to demonstrate how to use them. Others passed around homemade mead, which they all had to admit was pretty damn good. Gendry was surprised and delighted when one of them offered Mya a ride on his bike and she accepted, shrieking gleefully as the motorcyle revved beneath her. 

“Pretty cool theme, huh?” he teased when she got off, hair wild and cheeks flushed.

“Oh, all right, it isn’t a complete disaster,” she huffed, but she was smiling.

Gendry was pretty pleased with himself. He had planned his niece’s party and everyone, even his hard-to-please sister, was having a great time. 

The real cherry on top, however, was when Arya asked a few Vikings if they would take a picture with Gendry and baby Jonna. It was probably Gendry’s favorite picture ever. 


End file.
